Jennifer Peña
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Marcella Peña is an American Latin Pop
Latin pop
Latin pop generally refers to pop music that has what may be perceived a Latin American influence...

/Tejano
Tejano
Tejano or Texano is a term used to identify a Texan of Mexican heritage.Historically, the Spanish term Tejano has been used to identify different groups of people...

 singer and actress who has sold over 3.5 million records internationally. Peña is the third and youngest daughter of Jaime and Mary Peña with other siblings Janet and Jackie. Peña is of Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....

 descent native to the state of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

 raised in Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...

.

Los Jetz

Peña first achieved notoriety after performing at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...

 during a Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...

 tribute concert in 1995 while under management with Q Productions and Abraham Quintanilla II, who was Selena's father and former manager. This was Peña's first public performance on a grand scale performing Bidi Bidi Bom Bom, a #1 song for the late Latin superstar Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...

. Peña's first studio album Dulzura released in May 1996 as part of Jennifer y Los Jetz was produced by Abraham Quintanilla III and introduced her to the music scene officially at the age of 12 with the title track and "Ven a mí" (a Spanish-language cover of The Drifters
The Drifters
The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953...

' "Dance with Me") garnered her a loyal fanbase. The album sold quite well in the Latin market, certified gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...

 and winning several Tejano Music Awards
Tejano Music Awards
The Tejano Music Awards had been launched in 1980 by former art teacher and music veteran Rudy Trevino and the leader of the Latin Breed Band, Gilbert Escobedo. Only 1,500 fans turned out for the first Tejano Music Awards. Over the years, San Antonio evolved into the Nashville of Tejano music...

. At the time Tejano Music was in its prime and Jennifer was another staple act in the scene. Her introduction was both praised and criticized mainly in part due the artistic similarities between Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...

 and she. The comparisons came and went, but Jennifer managed to continue winning over fans. The year 1997 saw the release of her second album, Jennifer Y Los Jetz , with the singles "Tu Castigo" and "Yo Te Vi," being promoted and drawing the same level of success Dulzura had achieved winning another gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...

 certification.

In 1998, she released Mariposa with "Tengo Miedo" as the lead single, another hit in the Latin market, and in Mexico where she toured extensively, the album became Jennifer's third album to be certified gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...

. By 2000 Jennifer was the most prominent female Tejano singer for which had been long dubbed La Princesa De La Musica Tejano ( The Princess Of Tejano Music) her most commercially and critically acclaimed album while under Q's management was 2000's Abrázame y Bésame, for which Jennifer was now billed as a solo act but still with band Los Jetz the album was produced by Abraham Quintanilla III. Showcasing a more mature sound for Peña, the title track, a duet with former Kumbia Kings
Kumbia Kings
Kumbia Kings was a Latin Grammy-winning Mexican cumbia group from Corpus Christi, Texas created by A.B. Quintanilla. Their music encompasses the styles of cumbia , hip hop and R&B. They produce songs in both Spanish and English. The band's producers from the beginning have been A.B. Quintanilla III...

 frontman DJ Kane
DJ Kane
Jason Cano better known as DJ Kane is a Mexican American singer who is currently recording an album alongside ex Kumbia All Starz vocalist Ricky Rick. He was also the lead vocalist for the Latin Grammy award winning A.B...

, was the most successful single. Other hits - "Si Tú Te Vas," "Contigo Otra Vez," and "No Te Voy a Perdonar" - hit strong again in the USA and in Mexico, garnering her a 2001 Grammy nomination and multiple Tejano Music Awards. Jennifer continued to promote and tour extensively after the release of every album under Q's management and with Label EMI-Latin.

Univision Music Group and Latin Pop Venture

After a few years of management under Q Productions, Peña opted to further her career by signing with the then new label Univision Music Group
Univision Music Group
For the successor to this company, go to Universal Music Latin Entertainment.Univision Music Group was a Latin music company in the United States with approximately 45% market share...

, whose president had launched Selena's career while at EMI Latin, which he headed until 2000. Under UMG, Peña was billed as a Latin pop
Latin pop
Latin pop generally refers to pop music that has what may be perceived a Latin American influence...

 artist. In 2002, she released Libre, produced by Rudy Perez and Kike Santander
Kike Santander
Dr. Flavio Enrique Santander Lora, commonly known as Kike Santander, is a Colombian composer, record producer, arranger and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the principal Latino composers of the day, having worked with artists such as David Bisbal, Christian Castro, Thalía, Chayanne,...

. Rudy Perez wrote the album's biggest hits: "Vamos al Mundial," which was chosen as the anthem for the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...

, and "El Dolor de Tu Presencia," which catapulted Peña's popularity, spending eight consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks. "Entre el Delirio y la Locura" soon followed. Libre sold over 300,000 units. In 2003 Libre was nominated for a Grammy and earned her a Premio Lo Nuestro. The year 2004 saw the release of her second album with UMG, Seducción, which was produced by Rudy Pérez
Rudy Pérez
Rudy Pérez is a Cuban American composer, producer and Sound engineer specialized in Latin Ballad whose songs have been very successful. He is considered one of the most outstanding creators in the field of international pop music...

,Gustavo and Kike Santander, and Emilio Estefan
Emilio Estefan
Emilio Estefan, Jr. is a Cuban-American of Lebanese ancestry who is a musician and producer. Estefan's first taste of celebrity came as a member of the Miami Sound Machine, but he is also recognized as the producer of many famous singers. He is the husband of singer Gloria Estefan...

  — Rudy Perez was the genius behind another #1 hit "Vivo y muero en tu piel" — the album kept up the momentum of her previous release, again selling over 300,000 units which offered a wider appeal to Jennifer's music by offering some alternate takes on tejano/pop and even a country flavored Para Olvidarerte De Mi. In 2004 Peña performed to a crowd of over 61,000 at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, also called RodeoHouston, is the world's largest live entertainment and livestock exhibition. It also includes the richest regular-season rodeo event. It has been held at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, since 2003...

, a venue that has hosted the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...

, Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...

 and Beyoncé, and also recording a live album that was released later that same year. Following her commercial success, Peña has performed for President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....

 and is actively involved with youth programs against substance abuse.

Peña has also ventured into film, appearing in MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

's All You've Got
All You've Got
All You've Got is a 2006 sport/drama film, which debuted on MTV and is directed by Neema Barnette. It stars Adrienne Bailon, of the pop group The Cheetah Girls as Gabby and Ciara in her film debut as Becca Watley.-Storyline:...

 with Ciara
Ciara
Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha...

 in 2006 and Amexicano
Amexicano
Amexicano is a film directed by Matthew Bonifacio and written by Carmine Famiglietti. The film explores the relationship between a blue-collar Italian-American man and an illegal Mexican immigrant as they both try to make a living in Queens, New York...

 in 2007 which was released at the Tribeca Film Festival is awaiting a release date.

On February 27, 2007, Dicen que el tiempo was released which debuted at #16 on Billboard Top Latin Album, with "Como Entender" being promoted as the first single, followed by "Tuya
Tuya (Jennifer Peña song)
"Tuya" is a Latin pop ballad written by Jennifer Peña and her now-husband, Obie Bermúdez, and produced by Peña and Sebastian Krys. Released in August 2007, it was the second single from Peña's album Dicen Que El Tiempo and became the bigger hit of the two singles released from the album...

" in late April. Since the release both the album and single has garnered lukewarm reception cracking the Top 25 positions on Billboard and selling out the initial shipment of 80,000 units. Jennifer is on hiatus after promoting the album all across the US and Puerto Rico with TV slots on MTV Tr3s as the artist of the month and extensive radio promotion. The second single "Tuya", reached its peak position at #5 on Billboard charts as of September 2007." Dicen Que El Tiempo" did not fare well in sales in comparison to previous efforts but won Jennifer critical acclaim and was well received by fans the album although a departure from both her Pop Ballads and Tejano Sound was produced by Jennifer and Sebastian Kyrs and also included additional songwriting and production by Obie Bermudez. On December '06, 2007 "Dicen Que El Tiempo" was nominated for a Grammy.

In April 2007, Peña announced on her official message board that she was engaged to Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Obie Bermudez
Obie Bermúdez
Obie Bermúdez , is a Puerto Rican-American R&B/Salsa singer and composer.-Early years:Bermúdez was born in Aibonito, Puerto Rico into a family who loved music. His father and grandfather were both musicians. He received his primary education in the town of Aibonito, however in 1992 the family...

, and that they were expecting their first child. They shared their good news again during an appearance on the April 26, 2007, edition of "Mi TRL" on MTV Tr3s
MTV Tr3s
Tr3s is an American cable, satellite and over-the-air network that prides itself as a bi-cultural entertainment destination. It is rooted in the fusion of Latin America and American music, cultures, and languages, bringing the biggest names in pop, urban, and rock music...

. The couple was married in a private ceremony in her home state of Texas on June 3, 2007. The couple welcomed their first child, son Jobien, on November 6, 2007. The baby was a week late. Currently Peña resides in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

 along with her husband. After the merger of Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...

 into Universal Latin Music, Peña's next album was in the works but after various attempts she is no longer on the roster with Universal Latin Music.

Currently Jennifer is not recording any music is now part of GLO organization .

Discography

EMI-Latin Records & Q Productions as Jennifer Y Los Jetz
  • Dulzura (Sweetness) # 11 Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums is a record chart published on Billboard magazine. It features Latin music information of the Pop music genre. Established in June 1985, this chart features only full length albums and like all album charts on Billboard, is based on sales. The information is compiled by Nielsen...

     (1996) 200, 000 units sold
  • Jennifer (Jennifer) # 9 Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums is a record chart published on Billboard magazine. It features Latin music information of the Pop music genre. Established in June 1985, this chart features only full length albums and like all album charts on Billboard, is based on sales. The information is compiled by Nielsen...

     (1997) 200,000 units sold
  • Selena (Soundtrack)
    Selena (soundtrack)
    Selena: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the film, Selena, starring Jennifer Lopez and featuring unreleased songs by Selena, including "Where Did the Feeling Go?", "Only Love", "Is It the Beat?" and "Disco Medley"...

     #7 Top 200 Charts (1997) 3,000,000 units sold (performer only on Track Vivirás Selena)
  • Mariposa (Butterfly) # 36 Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums is a record chart published on Billboard magazine. It features Latin music information of the Pop music genre. Established in June 1985, this chart features only full length albums and like all album charts on Billboard, is based on sales. The information is compiled by Nielsen...

    (1998) 200,000
  • Abrázame Y Bésame (2000) # 26 Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums is a record chart published on Billboard magazine. It features Latin music information of the Pop music genre. Established in June 1985, this chart features only full length albums and like all album charts on Billboard, is based on sales. The information is compiled by Nielsen...

      (Hug me and kiss me) 200,000 units sold


Univisión Records as Jennifer Pena
  • Libre (Free) (2002) #2 Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums is a record chart published on Billboard magazine. It features Latin music information of the Pop music genre. Established in June 1985, this chart features only full length albums and like all album charts on Billboard, is based on sales. The information is compiled by Nielsen...

      500,000+ units sold
  • Seducción
    Seducción (album)
    Seducción is the title of the second studio album by Jennifer Peña released by Univision Music Group on May 18, 2004. This effort debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart.-Album history:...

     (Seduction) #1 Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums is a record chart published on Billboard magazine. It features Latin music information of the Pop music genre. Established in June 1985, this chart features only full length albums and like all album charts on Billboard, is based on sales. The information is compiled by Nielsen...

     (2004) 300,000+ unit sold
  • Houston Rodeo Live (2004) #10 Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums is a record chart published on Billboard magazine. It features Latin music information of the Pop music genre. Established in June 1985, this chart features only full length albums and like all album charts on Billboard, is based on sales. The information is compiled by Nielsen...

      200,000+ units sold
  • Dicen Que El Tiempo ( They Say That Time ) (2007) #16 Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums
    Latin Pop Albums is a record chart published on Billboard magazine. It features Latin music information of the Pop music genre. Established in June 1985, this chart features only full length albums and like all album charts on Billboard, is based on sales. The information is compiled by Nielsen...

     100,000 + Units Sold


Universal Latin Music Group as Jennifer Pena
  • No Albums


Singles
  • Ven A Mi ( 1996) Hot Latin Tracks # 19
  • Pura Dulzura ( 1996) Hot Latin Tracks # 21
  • Si Tu Te Vas ( 2000) Latin Regional Tracks # 25
  • Abrasame Y Besame ( 2000) Latin Regional Tracks #25
  • El Dolor De Tu Presencia ( 2002) Hot Latin Tracks # 1 for 8 weeks
  • Entre El Delirio y la Locura ( 2003) Hot Latin Tracks # 6
  • A Fuego Lento ( 2004) Hot Latin Tracks # 21
  • Hasta El Fin Del Mundo ( 2004) Hot Latin Tracks  # 18
  • Vivo Y Muero En Tu Piel ( 2004) Hot Latin Tracks # 1 for 4 Weeks
  • No Hay Nadie Igual Como Tu ( 2004) Latin Regional Tracks # 33
  • Si Yo Me Vuelve A Enamorar ( 2004) Hot Latin Tracks # 9
  • Como Entender ( 2007) Hot Latin Tracks # 23
  • Tuya ( 2007) Hot Latin Tracks # 5

Awards and recognitions

  • GRAMMY AWARDS


2001 Best Mexican American Performance " Abrasame Y Besame" Nominated

2003 Best Mexican American Performance " Libre" Nominated

2007 Producer Of The Year "Dicen Que El Tiempo" Nominated

2008 Best Latin Pop Album " Dicen Que El Tiempo" Nominated
  • BILLBOARD LATIN MUSIC AWARDS


2003Hot Latin Track of The Year ( El Dolor De Tu Presencia ) Nominated

2003 Pop Airplay Track of The Year ( El Dolor De Tu Presencia) Nominated

2003 Regional Airplay Track of The Year ( El Dolor De Tu Presencia Norteno Version) Nominated

2003 Album of The Year ( Libre) WIN
  • PREMIO LO NUESTRO


2004 Female Entertainer of The Year
  • TEJANO MUSIC AWARDS


1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003 Female Entertainer of The Year

1998 Most Promising Band

1999, 2001, 2003 Female Vocalist of The Year
  • South Texas Music Awards


2002, 2003 Female Vocalist of The Year

2002, 2003 Female Entertainer of The Year

External links

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